E3: Big Bang Theory
by axleonex
Summary: Flame and the teen titans head over to Dakota City to investigate Gear's disappearance. A lot has changed in Dakota City, Bang Baby terrorism has been on the rise, Edwin Alva has taken away most of the City's freedom, even Static is going to need some help if he hopes to find Gear and restore order to the city. (Sequel to daughter of the mask)


**Author's note: Although I do recommend you read the first episode I wrote (Burning Princess) and the second episode (Daughter of the mask), I'm going to add a recap so that the rebels are caught to speed with what's happening.**

**XXX**

**Recap: The teen titan's shelter a young girl found wash ashore the titan's tower. Although she claims she doesn't remember who she is, she has constantly surprised the teen titan's by revealing more and more about herself. So far, she has burned holes through walls, teleported, and even blew up up Cyborg's car. The most unusual phenomenon has been her mask and gloves. Last episode, her mask spoke to Starfire, telling her that the gloves Flame wears are dangerous, and that they must be kept away from her at all costs, 'even if it means taking her arms off'...  
**

**XXX**

At Dakota City's town hall, dozens of reporters flash they're cameras at the man standing behind the podium. It's the newly elected mayor with his son and staff sitting behind him. Everyone in the crowd is eagerly asking questions before the start of the press conference.

"is it true that the massacre was caused by a bang baby?"

"Is it true that there is a chain a meta-human terrorists hiding underground?"

"Why hasn't your company done been able to produce a cure for the quantum vapor?"

"Is it true that Alva industries profits from bang baby collateral damage?"

The mayor's son rises from his seat. "Don't accuse my dad of profiting from this! In his time as mayor, he's done more to lower crime in this city than the council ever has!"

One reporter replies, "Then why has Alva industries profits increased since Alva has taken profit?"

Alva jr doesn't have a reply. Instead, his father steps in. "It's alright son, I don't need your help."

Alva junior grudgingly sits back down. Edwin Alva begins his speech. "This morning, forty two elementary school students had planned to visit a robotics facility for a class field trip. Instead, they're field trip was cut short when all three buses instantaneously combusted immediately after parking outside facilities parking lot."

Alva pauses to rub his eyebrows for a moment. He doesn't bother giving his condolences to the families. Instead, he presses on to his agenda.

"It doesn't take a degree in criminal justice to know that what happened today wasn't an accident, it does take a resident of Dakota city to know that what happened today wasn't from a human. These... Bang babies have been menacing this city for months now and the city council has consistently proven it's inability to control the situation. We once had a cure for them but gangs responded by setting off smaller 'big bangs' all over the city, proving that the resources this city has aren't enough to stop the bang baby threat... I once donated millions of dollars to the city police and research branches to help stop the threat, and now that I've taken up office, I see why the city has been so unequipped. Due to federal regulations, we have far too little freedom when it comes to protecting our own people. We aren't allowed further improve our police because that would go against federal protocols. Federal protocol doesn't allow us to improve our tactics because they don't have methods for dealing with meta-humans..."

The reporters go silent. Everything Alva said was true. Police have always proven how powerless they are against bang babies. The question has always been in the air, 'why can't they do more?'.

Alva continues. **"Which is why we have started adopting a new method of defend the city. Starting today, the city has invested in the Alva industries 'WATCH' program. A massive security plan that will make sure no bang baby walks unaccounted for. With a staff of over one thousand heavily armed security volunteers, fifty twenty foot tall sentinels with dozens of drones patrolling the skies, the meta human threat will cease once and for all by the end of this month."**

XXX

In an unlit room, Flame sits on her bed with her legs crossed and her mask pressed onto her face. The lights are off and she's slouched down as she desperately tries talking with her mask.

"C'mon mask" She says. "say something!?"

Flame pulls off the mask to look inside. No pulsating lights like Starfire had described, only a black inside like she had seen night before.

Its been two weeks since the teen titans found Flame washed up ashore. Although it hasn't been made official (She hasn't been given a communicator... yet), the other titans treat her as though she's titan. She still doesn't remember anything before they found her, and she doesn't stop trying to find clues of her past. _My mask spoke to starfire, it told her to take my gloves away, but why? My gloves are the source of my powers, but where did they come from?_

She looks down to her waist, two brown leather gloves cling from her belt line. Flame doesn't keep them on her hands anymore, Starfire looks at her strangely if she does, like she'll attack her at any moment. Strange.

Flame goes back to talking to the mask. "I know you can talk, now say something..."

The mask remains silent.

"Arg" Frustrated, Flame throws the mask at the wall. Flame puts on one of her gloves and aims it at the mask. She ignites her hand, but hesitates to shoot. That mask is her only clue to her past, she knows losing it would mean losing any hope of knowing who she is. She extinguishes her arm. Her arm lowers as she lazily drops herself back on her bed. "You talked to Starfire, why won't you talk to me?" She closes her eyes, trying to relax herself from a stressful day. As she fades into sleep, her eyelids begin to flicker.

Flames finds herself trapped in a white room surrounded by grey mist. Inside the mist, a tall black shadow stands before her.

"Rachel" The shadow says "you need to understand that sometimes it's better not to look for the past, that in order to understand the truth, you need to first learn to let go."

"Rachel? Who's Rachel? Is that my name?"

"It will come to you, but for now, your journey for it will bring you greater wisdom than if it were to come to you right now"

"Who are you?" Flame drags her feet through the mist and limps towards the shadow. "Who am I?"

"Rachel... I need you to listen closely"

"Rachel..." Flame says, "that's not... who's Rachel?"

The shadow pauses, as though waiting for Flame to get closer. "If I granted you three wishes involving the mind, your third wish would be to remember who you are and your second wish would be to undo your first wish..."

Flame continues to walk towards it. After realizing the shadow had finished it's sentence, Flame asks, "What would my first wish be?"

The Shadow replies, "The same as your third wish"

Flame now stands directly in front of the shadow. She reaches out to it, "Why... would I not want to rem-"

**BEEP BEEP BEEP**

Flame wakes up gasping for breathe. She's back on her bed as her bedroom door slides open, shedding a bright light into her room. It's Starfire, she flies up to Flame and grabs her hand "Come Flame, there has been a-" Starfire looks down at her hand. She realizes she's holding the hand Flame has her glove in. Starfire yanks her hand away as though afraid of it. "Um... I will wait for you in the living room" Starfire flies out of the room.

Flame looks down at her glove. Angry, she yanks the glove off and clips it to her waist like it was before. Flame puts on a fake smile and runs out the door, "Wait up guys! If it's hive nine again, you'll need me there to light up they're asses!"

XXX

**Author's Note:** **I didn't like how short the chapters were in the last episode, so from now on I'm going to try making chapters at least a thousand words long each.**


End file.
